As a Korean I must say that I have read a lot of memoirs by the British who fought in Korea. They say the Turkish were extremely brave and tough warriors.The British and American troops were made to view the battlefield where the completely outnumbered Turkish brigade fought and died against overwhelming numbers of Chinese soldiers. They killed thousands of Chinese. The battlefield was strewn with both the bodies of Turkish and Chinese soldiers. The Tuirkish soldiers died to the last, bravely fighting off the Chinese. So the British and Americans truly admired the Turksih fighting spirit and were awed by the sight of dead Turkish soldiers who clearly died fighting courageously to the bitter end.

Yep i don't get some people who say that the Turks didn't do jack there.

just typ turkish brigade in google just read it dude and there not Turksh sites..

"During the Korean War the enemy always found the opportunity to surround the Brigade by penetrating neighboring friendly unit fronts. But no enemy attack ever succeeded in penetrating the front of the Turkish Brigade."

"4500 soldiers in the middle of the firing line have known how to create miracle. The sacrifices of the Turks will eternally remain in our minds." - Washington Tribune

"The Turks who have been known throughout history by their courage and decency, have proved that they have kept these characteristics, in the war which the United Nations undertook in Korea." - Burner - U.S. Congressman

"While the Turks were for a long time fighting against the enemy and dying, the British and Americans were withdrawing. The Turks, who were out of ammunition, affixed their bayonets and attacked the enemy and there ensued a terrible hand to hand combat. The Turks succeeded in withdrawing by continuous combat and by carrying their injured comrades on their backs. They paraded at Pyongyang with their heads held high." - G.G. Martin - British Lieutenant General

"The Turks are the hero of heroes. There is no impossibility for the Turkish Brigade." - General Douglas MacArthur - United Nations Forces Commander in Chief

Their commander, General Yazici, was an aging brigadier who had been a division commander fighting the British at Gallipoli in 1916. He was highly regarded in the Turkish military establishment and willingly stepped down a rank in order to command the first contingent of Turks in Korea

The Turks' arrival in Korea garnered a considerable amount of publicity. The Turkish soldiers' fierce appearance, flowing mustaches and great knives were a war correspondent's dream come true. Although they had not fought in a major conflict since World War I, the Turkish soldiers had the reputation of being rough, hard fighters who preferred the offensive position and gave no quarter in battle. Most of the enlisted men were young and carried a sidearm sword

The greatest number of North Korea's prisoners was, of course, American. Of the twelve nations represented, however, the third most numerous were the Turks, with 229. The U.S. Army study found them to have been just as exemplary in prison as they were in battle. The Turks' secret weapons were discipline, great pride in their brigade, and an unbroken chain of command. The final official report contains this Turkish officer's account of his prison experience:

"I told the Chinese commander of the camp that I was in charge of my group. If he wanted anything done, he was to come to me, and I would see that it was done. If he removed me, the responsibility would fall not on him but on the man next below me, and after that on the man below him. And so on, down thru the ranks, until there were only two privates left. Then the senior private would be in charge. They could kill us, I told him, but they couldn't make us do what we didn't want to do. Discipline was our salvation, and we all knew it. If a Turk had questioned an order from his superior to share his food or lift a [stretcher], the way I understand some of your men did, he would literally have had his teeth knocked in. Not by his superior, either, but by the Turk nearest to him. The Communists made attempts to indoctrinate [us]. . .but they failed completely, and eventually gave up."

The crowning consequence of this discipline was that, although half of the 229 were wounded when captured, not one died in prison. When a Turk got sick, the rest nursed him to health. If he was ordered to the hospital, two well Turks went along to minister to him hand and foot and to carry him back to the compound when he was discharged. At mealtime two Turks were dispatched to carry the food back, and it was divided equally down to the last morsel. There was no hogging, no rule of dog eat dog, not ever. Death by "give-up-itis" was impossible. While an American might curl up alone at night and die in the bitter cold, the Turks all piled together in one corner of their cell, and every hour the two on the outside would rotate to the center of the pile. The Chinese guards actually grew to fear their Turkish prisoners, as they watched the interminable wrestling matches which kept them so tough - and, paradoxically, so loyal to one another. As a consequence of this study President Eisenhower issued the now-famous Uniform Code of Military Conduct, and the Korean experience, thank God, has not repeated itself.

Reading about the Turkish soldiers in Korea makes feel a deep adimaration for them. Thank you for sharing this information with us. I am just sorry that so many had to die in Korea. But they sure gave their enemies hell and for that I am glad.

if you google Korean war, try the one has both side's perspective regarding the war. every veteran's site may amphasize their bravery with less regard to the tragedy of that war and the complex background which caused it.

It's the same ignorance that made one UN POW stated "its better remain here(Chinese POW camp) than enduring a war with no clear objective", i guess hes the type that the US made documentary "Korean war in color" talking about "many of the soldiers returned from Chinese POW went insane..."

But that "sanity" took another wave of men to another strange land nowadays, that some of them as well may became insane as they wondered "we are not fighting here to protect our country, but merely trying to survive." (footage about American soldiers deployed in Iraq, a SBS documentary i've seen)

It's quite the coincidence that this topic should be raised, as I read an interview recently about an incident between some Australian soldiers and a Turkish officer during the Korean war. I am sure most of you here know that ANZAC and Turkish troops fought eachother honourably in the Gallipoli campaign of WWI. In Korea, they met again but as allies. I will copy it here verbatim from Australian veteran Alan Williams:

"One night after we had returned on leave, some of the boys had got together and managed to get ourselves a fine bottle of bourbon. It had been a hard few months and we really reckoned we had earnt the chance to share a drink and have a yarn (chat to eachother). Suddenly a few Yank (American) MPs (Military Police) came in and threatened to confiscate our bourbon and the usual muck about. Those MPs were all the same in their dress, the way they talked and walked, but the Americans got really officious about doing their job and carried their batons and pistols conspicuously. As we were trying to rescue ourselves from the situation, a senior Turkish MP came in to see what the fuss was about. He immediately gave the Yanks a talking to and sent them outside to sulk. What a good bloke, we invited him to have a yarn with us and enjoyed our R & R (rest and relaxation)."

Interesting never heard that one. Although in school when learning about Gallipoli we got told about an Australian soldier who got tangled up in some barb wire (during battle), so a small cease fire happened an a Turkish soldier went over and untangled him and took him over into their lines. Im not sure if he survived or not, i think theres a statue in Gallipoli depicting this moment. Not sure.

Turkish might be bravest among the UNs, but as the US troops performed so suck and cowardly, it s no suprise they gave their credit to turkish. If u guys wanna convince me how brave turkish is, u d better give me more examples. The above is just ordinary compared with the Chinese army.

And again, i have to point out that the Chinese did not outnumber their enemy. If any doubts, i could give u more details, though i m tired to do this.

Turkish might be bravest among the UNs, but as the US troops performed so suck and cowardly, it s no suprise they gave their credit to turkish. If u guys wanna convince me how brave turkish is, u d better give me more examples. The above is just ordinary compared with the Chinese army.

And again, i have to point out that the Chinese did not outnumber their enemy. If any doubts, i could give u more details, though i m tired to do this.

I think the Turks were outnumbered just like the Glosters were...And yes, please provide us with your details. Are they crroborated facts.Thank you.

Some people here always brag about their braveness. But once lose, then again find excuse "outnumbered". I just wanna know, which nations are not brave? Specially when fighting for their motherland, which troops will not fight till dead? Only Turks are brave among Humans? Turks are superior than other humanbeings? I see racist here. Lose is lose, never find excuse. Actually the most UN troops that were caught in one time by Chinese troops were Turks. At least the other nations' soldiers were not that easy to surrender like Turks did.

Some people here always brag about their braveness. But once lose, then again find excuse "outnumbered". I just wanna know, which nations are not brave? Specially when fighting for their motherland, which troops will not fight till dead? Only Turks are brave among Humans? Turks are superior than other humanbeings? I see racist here.

Lose is lose, never find excuse. Actually the most UN troops that were caught by Chinese troops were Turks. At least the other nations' soldiers were not that easy to surrender like Turks did.

The first part of your post: seems like a reasonable argument

The second part of your post: You are making the very same mistake that you're accusing others of making - racism.

You can make a point without resorting to derogatory remarks about other people.

If you need historical proof of Chinese soldiers braveness during Korean war, i can provide them, but im not inclined to do so, because i'd rather do it the other way. Because above all, Turkisk brigade formed only part of UN army, whereas Chinese intervention was decisive in the result of the war. Then why should i compare "braveness" in a thread titled "Turkish soldiers in Korean war"? They are brave soldiers, let them to be known, whats the wrong with that, and has it anything necessarily to do with losing face or not?

Some people here always brag about their braveness. But once lose, then again find excuse "outnumbered". I just wanna know, which nations are not brave? Specially when fighting for their motherland, which troops will not fight till dead? Only Turks are brave among Humans? Turks are superior than other humanbeings? I see racist here. Lose is lose, never find excuse. Actually the most UN troops that were caught by Chinese troops were Turks. At least the other nations' soldiers were not that easy to surrender like Turks did.

1. I am not Turkish so when I say Turks were brave, I am not bragging.

2. They were brave and they didn't lose. They killed more Chinese troops than there were Turks killed. And yes, they were outnumbered yet still they fought on. (If you fight against overwhelming odds and know that you are going to die, but you still fight, then you are considered brave.

3.Turks fought till the last man in a battle which the US and British troops were impressed and awed by. I will find the name of the battle in my books and get back to you.

4. In this battle, there were more bodies of dead Chinese soldiers than there were bodies of Turkish soldiers.

5. In the same battle, because of the noble self sacrifice of the Turks, the Chinese were not able to strike into the heart of Seoul and had to withdraw from the battle field although they had more troops who were still alive to fight. I think this suggests that the Turks won and carried the field.

6. No one said Chinese troops were not brave. Many Chinese fought till the bitter end. There were many brave Chinese soldiers who died.

7. Turks were not fighting for their motherland, yet they still fought BRAVELY against OVERWHELMING ODDS till they died.

6. If what you say is true and more Turks were captured than other soldiers by the Chinese, this doesnt say anything. In fact, maybe this suggests that they had it harder than other soldiers and were closest to the front lines and enemy ctroop configurations.

7. But in my humble opinion, I am inclined to say that the Turks are superior warriors than most others. This doesnt mean I am racist. Only that I am convinced that Turks are one of the best fighting men in the world. (I think that the Southern Chinese have the best food in the world and I think the Chinese are better businessmen than many other peoples, but this doesnt mean I think the Chinese are superior to other races.)

8. It is my sentiment that the Turkish people are a noble race and I have a deep regard and respect for them.

It is not bravery but It is stupity, our people died for nothing. If you have a good reason to fight, and you fight until end it is bravery. If you have no reason to fight(That is turkey situation) but you fight until end, It is stupity.

It is not bravery but It is stupity, our people died for nothing. If you have a good reason to fight, and you fight until end it is bravery. If you have no reason to fight(That is turkey situation) but you fight until end, It is stupity.

Only good think Turkish army did was to intruduce islam to korea.

I am sure that your fathers who died in combat would not be very happy that their descendant thinks all their sacrifices were stupid.You must respect the soldiers. Both The Chinese, and the Turks.

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